Kenneth Okonkwo Publishes WhatsApp Chats Amid Bribery Allegations Against Obi, NDC

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has escalated his allegations of bribery against the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, by releasing what he described as supporting WhatsApp conversations and related evidence.

Okonkwo had earlier alleged that Obi and senior NDC figures in the South-East collected between N10 million and N20 million from House of Representatives and senatorial aspirants during the party’s nomination process.

He further claimed that one of the aspirants, Obunike Ohaegbu, provided him with details of the alleged transactions, including what he described as a receipt confirming payments.

The allegations have already triggered legal action, with Obi’s lawyers demanding N5 billion in damages and a public apology. The legal team, led by Alex Ejesieme (SAN), issued a letter dated June 9, 2026, warning of further action if Okonkwo fails to comply.

However, in a series of posts on his verified X handle on Wednesday, Okonkwo released screenshots and excerpts of alleged WhatsApp exchanges with Ohaegbu, insisting they corroborate his claims.

According to him, the messages suggest that decisions on candidate selection and alleged financial demands were linked to Obi and other unnamed party leaders.

Quoting portions of the alleged chats, Ohaegbu reportedly expressed frustration over the party’s internal nomination process, claiming that unlike other states where consultations were held, aspirants in Anambra State were not involved in consensus arrangements.

He also questioned how the party’s candidate list was compiled, alleging that it may have been predetermined before primary elections were conducted.

“Consensus, by its very nature, requires consultation, negotiation and agreement amongst stakeholders,” one of the quoted messages read, while also raising concerns about what the aspirant described as irregularities in the process.

Okonkwo defended his decision to make the materials public, insisting he has a legal and civic responsibility to expose what he described as wrongdoing.

“As a citizen and a lawyer, I have a duty to disclose every crime against the state that comes within my knowledge,” he wrote, adding that the people of the South-East must not be subjected to political exploitation.

He also dismissed Obi’s legal threat, saying he had yet to fully review the letter served on him and would respond formally in due course.

Okonkwo further warned that any court action against him could lead to the disclosure of additional information gathered during his time as a party spokesperson.

The former actor-turned-politician was once an ally of Obi but later parted ways following political realignments after Obi’s move from the ADC to the NDC.

The dispute has further deepened tensions within opposition ranks, with both sides maintaining sharply conflicting accounts of the nomination process and alleged financial dealings.